Former Manowar guitarist and co-founder Ross the Boss makes a bold claim by naming his new project's album NEW METAL LEADER. Going so far as to employ an actual Manowar cover band to be his "full-time" band, Ross The Boss painstakingly succeeds in recreating the vintage vibe of his glory days on this 11-track affair. Heavily borrowing from early-period Manowar, tracks like "We Will Kill" and "I.F.H." are perfect knockoffs right down to the vocal caterwaul and extended guitar solos, giving the fans from the early days a constant chill deep inside. This album is bound to please longtime fans, yet its exaggerated title and overall redundancy (especially for non-fans) yields an unremarkable listen for those who aren't down for a batch of dude in loincloth style metal. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
- Mike SOS